Ctenoceratoda scotosparsa, Varga & Gyulai & Ronkay & Ronkay, 2018

Varga, Zoltán, Gyulai, Péter, Ronkay, Gábor & Ronkay, László, 2018, Review Of The Species Groups Of The Genus Ctenoceratoda Varga, 1992 With Description Of Four New Species And A New Subspecies (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 64 (1), pp. 51-74 : 63

Ctenoceratoda scotosparsa sp. n.

( Figs 9–12 , 27 , 42–46 )

Holotype: male, Mongolia, Govi Altai aimak, Mongolian Altay Mts, Sutay uul, 16 km SE of Dzuyl, 46°11’N, 94°01’E; 2070 m, 28.VI.2005, leg. T. Csővári (coll. P. Gyulai, Miskolc).

Paratypes. Mongolia. 17 males, 2 females, from the same locality as the holotype, 28. VI. and 4.VII.2005, leg. T. Csővári (coll. T. Csővári, P. Gyulai, G. Ronkay, Z. Varga and HNHM); 3 males, Govi Altai aimak, 45 km SE Biger, 1850 m, 5. VI.2004, leg. Saldaitis (coll. P. Gyulai), 2 males, Govi Altay aimak, N slope of Adz Bogd Mts, 1880 m, 8. VI.2004, leg. Saldaitis (coll. M. Dvořák, Smrcna, Czech Republic).

Slide Nos: GYP 1739m; RL 8644m, VZ 7678m, VZ 9491m, VZ 9492m, VZ 9521m (males), VZ9508f, VZ9509 (females).

Diagnosis – Ctenoceratoda scotosparsa is on average the smallest species of the khorgossi -group with its wingspan 33–38 mm. It is most closely related to C. argyrea ( Figs 7–8 ) but is smaller in size and more narrow-winged, the light ochreous-grey ground colour of the forewing is irrorated with whitish and blackish-brown scales, and the entire wing is less shiny than in C. argyrea . The maculation is also different: reniform stigma finely blackish defined, with blackish-brown filling and an L-shaped whitish spot basally, without “pipeshaped” elongate whitish stripe like in C. argyrea and C. khorgossi . The claviform stigma is unicolorous blackish-brown, being very different from those of all other species of the species-group (and the whole genus). The inner side of the subterminal line is followed by sharp black arrowheads. The hindwings are more unicolorous and darker than in all related species.

The male genitalia ( Figs 43–46 ) are also proportionally smaller than in the related species, the “head” of the cucullus is not inflated than in C. argyrea and more rounded than in C. cyanochrea ( Figs 47–48 ). The ampulla is relatively broad, slightly curved and rounded terminally; the fascia of cornuti in vesica is shorter than in the related species, as well as the appendix bursae in the female genitalia ( Fig. 42 ).

Distribution and bionomics. Mostly unknown. The type-series was collected at medium-high altitude of the Mongolian Altai Mts; the flight period is the early summer.

Figures

Figs 9–16. Ctenoceratoda spp. 9–12 = C. scotosparsa, sp. n., Mongolia, Govi Altay aimak: 9–10 = paratype, male, 11–12 = paratype, female; 13–15 = C. cyanochrea sp. n., Mongolia, Khovd aimak: 13 = holotype, male, 14 = paratype, male, 15 = paratype, female; 16 = C. grae- seri (Püngeler, 1898), lectotype, male, “Asia centr. Ili geb.”

Figs 25–32. Ctenoceratoda spp. antennae. 25 = C. persephone sp. n., paratype, male, Mongolia, 26 = C. khorgossi (Alphéraky, 1882), male, Kazakhstan, 27 = C. scotosparsa sp. n., paratype, male, Mongolia, 28 = C. argyrea (Varga, 1992) holotype, male, Mongolia, 29 = C. cyanochrea sp. n., paratype, male, Mongolia, 30 = C. tancrei (Graeser, 1892), male, Kazakhstan, 31 = C. mallopyga mallopyga sp. n., paratype, male, Pakistan, 32 = C. contempta (Püngeler, 1914), male, Kirghisia

Figs 42–46. Ctenoceratoda scotosparsa sp. n., genitalia, paratype, Mongolia. 42 = female, slide No.: VZ9508; 43–44 = male, slide No.: VZ9492, 45–46 = male, slide No.: RL8644

Figs 1–8. Ctenoceratoda spp. 1–4 = C. persephone sp. n., Mongolia: 1 = paratype, male, Khovd aimak, 2 = holotype, male, Govi Altay aimak, 3 = paratype female, Khovd aimak, 4 = paratype, female, Khovd aimak; 5–6 = C. khorgossi (Alphéraky, 1882), Kirghisia, Issyk-Kul: 5 = male, 6 = female; 7–8 = C. argyrea (Varga, 1992), Mongolia, Govi Altay aimak: 7 = holotype, male, 8 = paratype female

Figs 47–52. Ctenoceratoda spp. male genitalia. 47–48 = C. cyanochrea sp. n., paratype, Mongolia, slide No.: RL8644; 49–50 = C. mallopyga mallopyga sp. n., paratype, Pakistan, slide No.: VZ9238; 51–52 = C. contempta (Püngeler, 1914), Semiretshye, slide No.: RL11754